Type — Arthropoda.
Subtype — Crustacea.
Class — Malacostraca.
Order — Decapoda.
Superfamily — Atyoidea
Family — Atyidae.
Genus Caridina.
— Caridina simoni simoni [Bouvier, 1904] — Caridina simoni. “Sri Lanka Dwarf shrimp”. Sri Lanka. Males 1.8 cm, females 2-2.5 cm. Tiny, slender, relatively transparent shrimp with slightly dark strokes and only rarely females bear a light dorsal stroke. Sometimes they have slight pigmentation, ranging from golden to light brown, or sometimes green. This variety can be easily distinguished from many other shrimp varieties by its very curved back, in contrast to the more or less straight rear part of most Caridina varieties. Berried females look very attractive, as the color of the eggs can be green, yellow, or brown, which is clearly visible through the body.
Colors appear in their full glory only after the shrimp reach adulthood. Males are often paler than females. Although the coloration of this shrimp species is not very bright, featuring various shades of green, brown, and blue while remaining equally transparent, they are very interesting in their behavior. In the aquarium, they behave very lively, eating algae and not being timid at all. Unlike other shrimp that bustle on the bottom of the aquarium or hide among plants, they like to swim in the middle water layers, scurrying around the aquarium all day in search of food.
These shrimp are undemanding in care. Due to their small size, shrimp should not be kept together with fish. They like aquariums with a sandy substrate, plenty of plants, and driftwood. It is recommended to place a litter of beech or oak leaves. Excellent algae eaters, they feed on algae and specialized foods.
They reproduce readily and abundantly in home aquariums. Water parameters do not matter as long as the water is clean. They withstand water pH fluctuations within 5-8, dH 2-15°, and temperatures from 20 to 30°C. At temperatures above 28°C, enhanced aeration is required. The female carries up to 30 fairly large dark green eggs for 3 weeks. Larvae develop in a freshwater aquarium. In newborn shrimp, the larval stage passes very quickly – from 1 to 7 days. During this time, the larvae sit on the glass or bottom of the aquarium. Upon completion of this stage, they look like exact copies of adult shrimp. This shrimp will not crossbreed with any other shrimp. They live 3-4 years.
— Caridina trifasciata [Yam & Cai, 2003] — Three-banded shrimp. Hong Kong. Their natural habitat is in very small streams. 2.5 cm. The body is transparent with various color shades from yellowish to bluish, with three dark blue to black stripes alternating with wide beige or partially transparent-white ones. Some wild specimens were completely black with 3 stripes. There is a mutation of Caridina trifasciata in which the stripes are blue and can spread across the entire body.
Very active and shows high vitality. Keep in large groups if possible. They love dense vegetation where they can hide. They like to hide among the leaves covering the bottom of the aquarium. Do not keep with large and aggressive fish. Optimal temperature below 25 degrees. Reproduction is trouble-free, almost automatic. T 20-25°C; pH 5.5-6.5.
— Caridina tumida [L Wang, Liang & F Li, 2008] — Caridina tumida, New bee. “New bee”. Southeast Asia, Southern China. Males up to 2.5 cm, females up to 3 cm. The body of the shrimp is brown or black with characteristic brown or orange stripes of varying widths. On the female’s back, there is a characteristic “saddle” where the eggs are located, usually orange, sometimes green or gray. They should be kept in a group.
Water is soft or moderately hard. Shrimp are sensitive to copper compounds and excess nitrogen in the aquarium. They feed on algae growing on plants and decorations in the aquarium, as well as other foods intended for shrimp containing spirulina. Sexual maturity at 4 months. The female carries eggs for 4 weeks, after which 5 to 30 independent shrimp with a size of 1.5 mm appear. pH 6.4-7.5; dH 6-14°; Water temperature 21-26°C.
— Caridina villadolidi [Blanco, 1939]. Taiwan, Philippines, Sulawesi, Sri Lanka. Male 4.5 cm, female: 7 cm. Translucent light brown body, sometimes slightly pinkish, with several very thin brown-red dots distributed throughout the body. The coloration resembles the famous Caridina multidentata, differing in its more elongated and slender shape than the Amano shrimp. Shoaling, it must live in a group. This shrimp is not timid and is very often in plain sight in search of food. Reproduction requires the larvae to pass through salt water. pH 6-8, gH 8-15°, Temperature 22-25°C.
Genus Paracaridina.
— Paracaridina sp. Princess Bee. “Princess Bee shrimp”, “Blue Bee shrimp”, “Honey Bee shrimp”, “Hue Bee shrimp”. Vietnam and Southern China. Females up to 3.5 cm, males up to 2.5 cm. The coloration of the shrimp is very variable. The body coloration consists of light colors – white or beige with stripes or mottled patches of blue, black, or brown colors. Females are larger and more intensely colored. The eggs are brown.
There are several forms of Paracaridina: — “Blue Bee” — has a dark blue body with four thin white stripes; — “Camouflage” — similar to “Mustang”, but the stripes or spots are more numerous; — “Choco Bee” — has a brownish body with four thin white stripes; — “Mustang shrimp” — has a black or dark brown body with ivory white overlays; — “Princess Bee” — the body coloration consists of white and dark blue colors; — “Yen Bai Bee” – very similar to the Princess Bee shrimp, but they have much better coloration and stripes.
They are not aggressive and need fresh water to breed. Lighting is moderate and plenty of shelters is desirable. Since these shrimp are social animals, you should keep at least 10 individuals. The water must be acidic and soft. Tannins must be added to the water. The water temperature should be below 25°C. They reproduce in fresh water and produce 15-20 fry. pH 5.5-7.0; dH no more than 7°; T 20-25°C.
Identification: Paracaridina Princess Bee.
Caridina serrata, “Chinese Zebra shrimp”, “Tupfel”, Caridina serratirostris. 
